HIGH PERFORMANCE CUTTERS

Hole Pro® for HVAC

The Hole Pro®The Hole Pro® Power Series adjustable hole cutter kits are ideal for quickly cutting holes in sheet metal, sheetrock/drywall, plaster, Hardi fiber cement board, wood, plywood, OSB, veneers, MDF, fiberglass, and acoustical ceiling tile. The ABS composite plastic safety shield enables a hand drill to work like a portable drill press keeping the hole cutter perpendicular to the surface and provides and adjustment to limit the depth of the cut (no accidental cutting of hidden wiring or plumbing), while safely trapping all the dust, shavings, and the cut plug.

With just the blades making contact with the material being cut there is one-third as much torque required to cut a hole compared to using a conventional hole saw. This means the smaller and lighter 14 volt 3/8” cordless drills can be used to cut hole after hole on the job. It also means greatly reduced risk of stalling or kick back as when a hole saw hits a joist or stud and the drill and operator are spun in the opposite direction.

The Hole Pro adjustable hole cutters are faster, safer and easier to use than conventional cup style hole saws. Standard hole saws have a lot of surface area to grab the work piece being cut, especially if the drill is not perfectly perpendicular to the surface being cut. When the cup saw grabs or binds the drill starts to rotate the operator in the opposite direction, often resulting in injury. And the hole saws with all the shavings and dust make a mess of the work area.

Being adjustable, one hole cutter takes the place of a dozen or more hole saws. The adjustable hole cutter can be set to cut exactly the size hole needed. As there is a blade that cuts the material for the hole instead of teeth that saw the material, there is a much cleaner cut. With a blade there is much less surface contact and so the danger of binding and drill kickback is largely eliminated. When the blade becomes dull, just the blade needs to be replaced. The blade can be replaced by the operator in seconds using only the hex wrench provided in the kit.

Most heavy duty multi-range ½ inch cord drills from DeWalt and Milwaukee and other companies are rated for a maximum hole saw size of 3½” when cutting wood with a hole saw. These same drills can be used with a Hole Pro adjustable hole cutter to cut holes up to 12 inches in diameter in wood - even plywood with its glue layers.

There is no better tool for cutting holes in plaster. Though not perfect it provides the best combination of cutting speed and no vertical movement (as with a reciprocating saw) to loosen or crack the plaster layers. With wood lath the hole cutter will continue to cut through the lath as well as the plaster. With some types of metal lath the hole cutter can also cut through the mesh and with others it is best to cut the plaster with the hole cutter and then trim the metal with a tin snips.

There is no faster or cleaner way to make the 7-1/8” and 9-1/4” outlet holes for the Airtec Products’ MV diffusers. A hole can be cut in less time than it takes to trace a circle and there are no shavings to vacuum up or cut plug to catch as everything is safely trapped inside the shield. When the hole cutter and shield is flipped over the debris and cut plug just falls off and into a 5-gallon pail or other container. And because the hole cutters are adjustable the same hole cutter can be used for all sizes of Airtec MV diffusers.

There are four different models for different HVAC applications where duct holes need to be cut. So whether you are cutting 3 inch to 4 inch outlet holes for small duct high velocity air conditioning (SDHV), or need 5 inch, 6 inch, 7 inch, 8 inch, 9 inch, 10 inch, 12 inch, 14 inch, or even 16 inch holes for conventional heating and air conditioning systems, Hole Pro has an adjustable hole cutter that will provide the needed hole cutting range to cut the hole sizes needed.

Hole Pro provides both single and twin blade models. The twin blade models provide faster cutting, perfect balance, and great durability and are the best choice for cutting outlet holes in residential and light commercial settings. The single blade models make it easier for power hand drills to cut heavy gauge sheet metal and are recommended for everyday use in shops. The single blade models require balance bars of varying lengths to balance the blade holder depending upon the size hole to be cut. With the twin blade models the two blades and blade holders balance each other perfectly and so no balance bars are needed.

The blades are easily changed in seconds and there are high speed steel and tungsten carbide versions available. The high speed steel blades are ideal for cutting wood, most plastics, and MDF, and provide a smooth cut with a fine kerf. The tungsten carbide blades provide excellent durability when cutting hard or abrasive materials including sheetrock, plaster, plywood, fiberglass, and Hardie and similar fiber cement board products.

When cutting holes in Hardi soffit or siding for outlets or vent lines, the Hole Pro hole cutter’s safety shield safely traps all the dust. Fiber cement board products, like those from James Hardie, Cemplank, or CertainTeed contain a large percentage of silica which is very dangerous to inhale as it stays in the lungs and can cause silicosis (scarring of the lungs) and lung cancer. For this reason the companies producing these products recommend scoring and breaking the boards and advise against cutting them with a saw. For holes, using a Hole Pro hole cutter is a great way to cut holes in any wall or soffit while safely trapping all the silica dust inside the ABS shield.

For standard HVAC duct outlets there is the model X-230 (1-7/8" to 9" capacity) and the model X-305 (1-7/8" to 12" (305mm) hole cutting capacity. The X-425 with its 17 inch (435mm) hole cutting capability can be used for even 16" ducts. These are the two largest capacity hole cutters being made today.

If you are installing Unico Systems, SpacePak, ESPI, or similar high velocity small duct (SDHV) or small diameter HVAC systems there are two Hole Pro models that are ideal. The Hole Pro model X-230 will quickly cut the required 4" and 3-3/8" holes in sheetrock, plaster, ?and wood ceilings or the outlet holes in wood flooring, while the safety shield captures all the dust and shavings greatly reducing cleanup time. The X-230 provides a 5-1/2" hole center offset when placed in a corner or against a wall.

When installing high velocity air conditioning outlets in tight spaces, there is the new Hole Pro model X-148 that is the perfect tool for the job. The model X-148 can be quickly adjusted to cut any size hole from 1-7/8" up to 5-7/8" diameter, and uses a tough and lightweight ABS composite plastic shield (7 3/4 inch outside diameter) with the same patented tri-slot design for improved visibility while cutting, and a ball bearing mount which allows the hole cutter to spin while the shield stays pressed against the piece being cut.

With the model X-148 adjustable hole cutter the edge of the hole (3-3/8”, 4” or 4-1/4” hole for Unico depending upon the location) can be less than 2” from the wall or soffit. And with the exact size adjustment possible with all Hole Pro hole cutters, the hole for a floor outlet can be cut slightly undersized if desired for a tight fit without the need for screw fasteners.

The model X-148 can be adjusted down to cut SpacePak plenum holes in fiberboard (2” or 51mm) and sheet metal (2-1/16 or 53mm) When cutting sheet metal we recommend using only one blade in the cutter as this puts half as much stress on the drill bearings.

With the adjustable hole cutter there is no need for a template and tracing the hole. Locate the hole’s center and start drilling with the hole cutter’s pilot drill bit. You get a perfectly cut hole every time at exactly the size needed for the job - no smaller and no larger.

Only the Hole Pro adjustable hole cutters have a unique clear ABS composite plastic dust and safety shield with a patented tri-slot design. Although more expensive to manufacture, the result is a lighter and yet much stronger shield that will hold up to daily use on the job site. The shield’s tri-slot design that catches the shavings as the cutter spins and keeps the work surface visible during the cutting operation.

All hole cutter kits include the precision machined adjustable hole cutter, the ABS composite plastic safety shield with its ball bearing insert, sets of high speed steel and tungsten carbide blades, hex wrenches, and a sturdy plastic carry case. All four Hole Pro twin blade X-models use the same BH-002 and BT-002 replacement blade sets.